


I ain't cute!

by LittleMissKnowItAll



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Daryl and Judith bonding, First Date, First Kiss, Flirting, Getting Together, Jesus is a cocky bastard and I love it, M/M, these cuties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:37:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8462146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissKnowItAll/pseuds/LittleMissKnowItAll
Summary: Daryl and Judith are spending some quality time together in Alexandria when Jesus shows up unexpectedly...Warning: Contains Jesus being the king of shameless flirting & Daryl and Judith being cute besties





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed some flirty Daryl and Jesus with an extra dose of Judith. Especially after the past few episodes...  
> Turned out a bit more fluffy than I intented, but when is that a bad thing, right? ;)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Oh, and please leave some kudos and a comment if you like it, I would love to hear from you! <3

The sun was high, the heat like a warm blanket around Daryl’s tired shoulders. He’d gotten back from a two day run last night and was ready to sleep for days. He wouldn’t of course. Even when the world wasn’t filled with walkers, Daryl wasn’t good at staying in one place too long. He never felt at home, or at peace enough to just relax for a bit. But now, holding a sleeping Judith in his arms, he could finally see this whole Alexandria thing work out. And although it scared him shitless, it also made him feel incredibly calm. He looked down at Judith, at the way her hand was gripping his vest as she slept. Her soft breathing was like the most beautiful piece of music and within seconds, Daryl could feel his own eyelids grow heavy too. 

A soft scuffling noise woke Daryl up, sitting up straight immediately, hands coming up to shield Judith from possible harm. The first thing he sees out of the corner of his eyes are black boots. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you”, a soft voice spoke as he looked up, bright blue eyes twinkling at them. Or were they green? Daryl stopped himself, ‘not the point!’. Judith had stirred slightly before dropping her head back on Daryl’s shoulder. She had even started snoring softly. 

Growling at the intrusion, Daryl shot the bearded man an annoyed look. “What d’ya want?”

Putting up his hands defensively, Jesus hung his head slightly, looking like a kid about to be scolded. “I was just walking around and…”

“And?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Judith yet. So when I saw you two sitting out here, I thought I’d come over, say hi. I didn’t see you were asleep until I got up here so I just…” He looks up again, a faint blush on his face, paired with his usual cocky smile. 

“You just?” Daryl said, the words firm yet questioning. 

“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to wake you, you two are far too adorable when you sleep” And there it is, that all too familiar grin. He couldn’t help but notice the way Jesus’s whole face seemed to be smiling, corners of his eyes crinkling slightly as his eyes grew even brighter. 

But it’s not the smile that throws him off, it’s the words Jesus had said. Because Daryl had been called many things, pre and post walker apocalypse. But he had never, not once, been called adorable. And so he responded in the only way he can, by ducking his head and grumbling out some incoherent words.   
His smile turning into a smirk, Jesus nodded his head softly. “I see the formal introduction will have to wait. See you around” And with that, he walked down the stairs and out of sight. Pulling Judith closer, Daryl wondered why the guy seemed to have such an effect on him. In the end, he came to the conclusion that it was a combination of his obnoxious beard, his stupid nickname, his infuriating personality and those damn eyes. 

***

A few days later, Daryl is on the porch with Judith again. He never wanted kids before this all started but with Sophia, Carl and now this Lill’Asskicker, he felt like he’d been blessed with them anyway. Judith was on the floor playing with her new doll, something they’d picked up on a run. She kept giggling before letting out weird grunts and noises, no doubt telling her doll exciting stories. Daryl couldn’t keep the smile off his face whenever they shared these quiet moments together. He loved everyone in their family, but little Judith? They seemed to have a ‘special bond’, as Rick liked to refer to it. And he had to admit it was true. She seemed to pick up on his moods before anyone else, always ready to brighten his day with a smile and a pair of grabby hands. 

After a while, Judith started pointing at him, the sounds leaving her mouth sounding close to an order. Daryl sat there, staring at her, wondering what it was the little girl meant. In the end, he decided to just sit down opposite her. Judging from the toothy smile on her face, that was the right choice. 

She made the doll walk over to Daryl, before dropping it and waiting for Daryl to walk the doll back over to her. Every time he did, he leant the doll’s head forward as if it was kissing her cheek. It earned him a giggle and a squeal every time. He forgot about the world around them, focussed completely on the little girl and her doll until he heard an all too familiar creak. Turning slightly, the first thing he saw were those bright eyes twinkling at him. 

“Well, aren’t you two just the cutest” Jesus said cheekily, winking at Daryl before smiling at the little girl who finally started to notice him. 

“What d’ya want” Daryl said again, not sure if he was more annoyed by the man’s overall presence or the mention of the word ‘cute’. 

“I could make up another excuse about wanting to meet Judith” Jesus said, sitting down on the bannister. He smiled sweetly as he waved at the little girl. “Or we could just have an actual conversation this time?”

Judith’s hand shot up to wave back, doll forgotten in her lap. Crawling closer to Daryl, Judith started tugging on his hands, her way of saying that he should get up and take her with him. Unable to deny the little girl anything, Daryl stood up, holding Judith tightly in his arms. 

“Talk” Daryl grunted, taking a step back from the bannister as he started noticing their closeness. Judith was having none of it though, one hand on his cheek as the other started grabbing in Jesus’s direction. Grunting softly, he walked back to his earlier position, next to Jesus. 

As Judith continued grabbing at the man, this time with both hands, Daryl put a protective arm around her shoulders. 

Tilting his head slightly at the hunter, Jesus smiled before going into full on puppy eyes mode. “May I?” He said, pointing at Judith, eyes filled with something close to hope. 

And really, he wanted to say no. Wanted to go back inside and hide Judith from this long haired stranger. But he had to be reasonable. A. Jesus wasn’t a stranger anymore as he spent most of his days in Alexandria lately and seemed to be hardworking and well-liked by everyone. B. Judith started making whiny noises to accompany her grabby hands and honestly, there was no way to get Judith quiet if she didn’t get what she wanted. So Daryl just sighed, looking down at Judith’s pleading face before nodding. 

Jesus’s smile grew even wider as he opened his arms, letting Daryl drop the little girl in them. Their bodies touched, knees, arms…hands, a sensation running through Daryl that he wasn’t quite familiar with. Stepping back as if burned, he looked at the sight before him and his breathing stopped for a second. Judith was tugging on Jesus’s beard, giggling like crazy whenever he stuck out his tongue at her. It wasn’t until Judith started copying the younger man’s actions that his heart really started getting into trouble. 

 

After a while, Jesus looks up, his eyes locking onto Daryl’s. He smiles softly at the expression he finds on the hunter’s face before biting his lip. “I know we haven’t gotten off on the right foot and I’m sorry” He says softly. 

Daryl just grunts back, nodding his head. 

“Not much of a talker, are you?” Jesus states, shaking his head with a smile. “Damn shame with that voice of yours” He finishes. 

And Daryl is stunned. Truly and completely stunned. He knows Jesus is a flirt, knows the guy has hit on half of their family but that was all in good fun, nothing serious. But the way the younger man is looking at him right now feels genuine. He swears he can even see a flicker of fear in those eyes, unsure of how the hunter is going to react. 

Deciding on a course of action, Daryl comes to the conclusion that he will have to play along to see where this is going. If the flirting is genuine or not and if so, what Jesus wants from him. 

“What would’ya like me ta say?” Daryl responds, focussing his eyes on Judith’s hands, her hair, her feet. Just anywhere but on Jesus, basically. 

“Yes would be a nice start” Jesus smirks back.

Confused, Daryl can’t help but look up at the man again. Big mistake. “Yes to what?”

And he can almost feel the deep breath Jesus takes, the mental preparation before he lets out a soft “Have dinner with me”. 

And yes, the flirting had been there, the glances, but damn, he was not prepared for that. Although he had to be honest with himself, the attention the younger man was giving him was not as unwanted as he liked to tell himself. The ball was in his court now and he knew what the old Daryl would have said. Would have done, more like. But he isn’t that guy anymore…and it’s not like he could punch the guy anyway, not while he is holding Judith, right? ‘No’, the voice inside his head tells him smugly, ‘you couldn’t have done it anyway’. And he has to agree. God, he’d even started dreaming about the guy after they met, actually dreaming about them. Dreamed about meeting in a less complicated lifetime, dreamed about going on runs with the skilled fighter. Yes, he’d even dreamed about waking up next to the guy. But those were dreams, the only safe place they still had left in this world. But then again, maybe Jesus had been right that first time they met. This was a new world and maybe, just maybe, he should just let go of the things holding him back like his childhood and his fears. So, staring at the slight blush creeping up Jesus’s neck at the prolonged silence, he smirks. “Not much of a question, is it?”

A confused look washes over Jesus’s face and Daryl can’t deny that he likes it, likes having the upper hand in a conversation for once, especially in this one.   
“Didn’t know it was tha’ easy to get you to shut up”, the hunter smiles at the wide eyed look on the other man’s face. Even Judith is looking up at him now, her big eyes questioning. 

Luckily, a wide grin slowly returns to the younger man’s face as he winks at Daryl. “Oh I can be very easy, in the right company” He ends with a slight shrug. 

Daryl feels his cheeks burn before the last word leaves the other man’s mouth, his eyes wide for a second before focussing his attention back on Judith. Jesus follows his gaze and scrunches up his face. “Sorry, almost forgot about you. Just forget what uncle Jesus and uncle Daryl were talking about, yeah” He says sweetly to the little girl, who is now clinging to him with one hand while softly rubbing her eyes with the other. 

Coughing slightly, Daryl rubs the back of his neck before stepping closer to Jesus. “I uh… I should get her to bed”. He puts his arms around Judith, who immediately turns into him, as Jesus begrudgingly lets go. Daryl looks back up at him, opens his mouth….and shuts it again not long after. He doesn’t know what to say next, what to do and from the looks of it, Jesus doesn’t either. So he just turns around and walks inside, leaving the younger man out on the porch.

Judith’s asleep before her head hits the pillow and it takes Daryl a moment to pry her fingers off of his vest. He watches her sleep for a second, enjoying the peace on the little girls face. A peace he is definitely not feeling right now. He knows he should go downstairs, he’s just not sure what he hopes to see when he gets there. Would he like Jesus to still be there, waiting to continue their conversation. Or would he like Jesus to be gone, their conversation pushed away to a dark corner, never to be spoken off again. Taking a deep breath, he starts walking down the stairs. 

Opening the front door, he finds his answer in the soft eyes that greet him from the bannister. “She asleep?” Jesus asks sheepishly and Daryl just nods, smiling slightly before taking a step backwards, back into the house. 

“Want a drink or anything?” he asks, leaving the front door open as he walks over to the kitchen. He would really like to continue their conversation, but he’d rather not do it out in the open like that. Luckily, Jesus understands as he follows him inside and into the kitchen. 

Walking over to Daryl, Jesus stops right in front of him, fixing him with a serious stare. “I would like an answer”  
“I’d like a question first” Daryl responds, his voice raspy. 

Biting his lip, Jesus shakes his head before spreading his arms as if ready to make a dramatic love declaration. “Daryl Dixon, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

And Daryl just bows his head, a light chuckling noise escaping his lips before looking back up at the younger man. “Gotta eat” 

Crossing his arms, Jesus raises his eyebrows before staring the older man down. “Not good enough”

“Fine”, Daryl huffs out, before stepping into the other man’s space and leaning in close. “Yes, I’d like ta have dinner with you tonight”

And okay, Daryl was sure he’d seen every type of smile the young man had to offer but this, this was something else. “It’s a date” Jesus smiled brightly, the twinkle in his eyes intensified. 

Groaning, Daryl put a hand on his face. “Oh god, I already regret it”

“Aw, don’t be like that”, Jesus responds, taking hold of the hand and pulling it down. “Know what? I’ll let you in on a little secret.” He says then, a mischievous look on his face. Leaning in close to Daryl’s ear, he whispers, “I’m not against kissing on the first date. Or before, for that matter”

Now, Daryl had quite some self-control but feeling the young man’s breath on his face, the soft words whispered into his ear, did something to him. And so, carefully, he put his hand on Jesus’s neck, running a thumb over his jaw as he pulled the man close, smirking softly before closing the distance. “Good ta know”


	2. Date night?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A minor freak out, a heart to heart and a second serving of spaghetti.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suprise....well, maybe not really. Anyway, here it is: the (un)expected sequel.... I blame you, m_colson85 ;) 
> 
> Remember the angst that should have been in the original story? Well, here it is, in full force. Don't worry, there's still some fluff and shameless flirting in there too. 
> 
> Really hope you'll all like it as much as the first part, sorry it turned out a bit longer than originally planned.
> 
> Please leave me some kudo's and a comment if you do, I really do love hearing from you all! <3  
> While on that subject, a big thank you to everyone who left kudo's and/or a comment on the first part and all my other stories. You guys are the absolute best!

The kiss was softer than both Daryl and Jesus had expected, but that didn’t mean it was unpleasant. ‘Far from it’, Daryl thinks to himself, smiling slightly as Jesus steps even closer. He can’t help the small laugh that escapes him at the tickle of the young man’s beard. As he dives in for another kiss, Jesus suddenly pulls back.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh like that”, he says, smiling at the hunter. “I like it, you should do it more often”

“Gimme a reason ‘nd I will” Daryl responds quickly, raising his eyebrow suggestively as Jesus closes the distance once more, lips soft against Daryl’s. 

It’s weird, the sudden peace he feels at having Jesus close. The man’s infuriating and annoying, like an overexcited little kid with a big ego. And that hair, that beard, those eyes, how in hell had they become his favourite things in the world over these past few weeks. I mean, the realization that even thinking about the man’s smile lights up his day should scare him, right? 

Still stroking the beard, his thumb running across Jesus’s jaw, Daryl feels himself grow even lighter as the realization that this could actually be something lasting strikes him…And then fear starts taking over. 

Because this ‘new world’ was cruel, maybe even crueller than the old world as bad guys weren’t as easily spotted anymore. And although he was sure that Jesus and…well, most of Hilltop, were good people, that didn’t mean anything in terms of safety. Evil bastards were still out there, people like The Governor and Negan…or worse. And that means that this thing between them, however good it may feel for both of them, doesn’t stand a chance in hell. Finding happiness in this cold world is for the lucky few…and Daryl has never been lucky. 

This realization hits him like a kick to the gut, his lips stilling against Jesus’s. 

Feeling the sudden shift, Jesus steps back, a concerned look on his face. “What are you thinking about?”

And Daryl wants to laugh, laugh at the cliché of getting asked that question as if they were some old married couple. But he can’t, couldn’t if he tried. Because his dreams have been stepped on again, by himself this time, and he doesn’t know how to carry on right now. 

“Daryl?” Jesus’s voice is soft as a hand lands on his cheek, forcing him to focus. 

Daryl just stares at him, eyes sad and lost, making Jesus feel oddly hopeless. “M sorry”, the hunter says softly, focussing his eyes on the floor. As Jesus opens his mouth to ask why, Daryl looks back up. “This was a bad idea. I…I can’t”

He gets ready to make a run for it but Jesus holds him in place, one hand on his cheek, the other on his hip. With knitted eyebrows, he asks: “Why? What are you so scared of?”

And damn him for seeing right through Daryl. Because that was always it with Daryl, wasn’t it. Fear, that ever present little demon that had slowly been eating away at his happiness since the day he was born. 

“M not scared.” He starts and okay, even he isn’t convinced by his own voice. “Just don’t think this is a good idea”

“Why not?” And god, those eyes pierce right into him, into his soul, his heart, his everything. And he can see Jesus isn’t buying it, can see he’s fighting a losing battle but he just can’t give in. It’s better to stop this, whatever it is, before it has time to begin… or before someone else stops it for them. 

So he tries to push Jesus away, tries moving out of his grip, but it’s useless. He has to use his words, not his strongest suit, if he wants the guy to leave him alone. “Cause I don’t want this, kay? This was a mistake. Only thing I want is for you ta leave me alone!” he says loudly, almost shouting the last sentence as he tries to put as much hate into his voice as possible. It seems to work, as Jesus lets go of him, taking a step back. 

“I’m not buying it”, Jesus says a moment later, crossing his arms, a challenging look on his face. “I think there’s something else that’s bothering you and although I’d love for you to share it with me, I’m afraid that you don’t trust me enough yet. And that’s okay, as long as you have someone to talk to about it. And soon” He turns around. As he reaches the end of the kitchen, he turns around again, a sad smile on his face. “because I’m not giving up on you just yet, Daryl Dixon. Talk to someone, please… And come find me after”. With that, he’s gone. 

Daryl barely notices the front door closing, too busy dealing with the tightness in his chest. It isn’t until he hears a soft murmuring noise coming from upstairs that he finally moves, slowly putting one foot in front of the other as he makes his way up to Judith’s room. 

***

The words keep running through Daryl’s head all day, images of that bright smile dancing before his eyes. He isn’t sure what to do just yet. Should he keep his distance from now on and wait for Jesus to find someone else and move on? Or should he take the young man’s advice and talk about his fear with someone. Maybe Carol or Rick? He honestly doesn’t know anymore. 

“Daryl?” a voice calls out suddenly. Getting up, he hears footsteps on the stairs. He knows who it is, the voice of his friend familiar in his ears as he opens the door with a grunt. 

“Yeah?” He’s trying for annoyed and failing miserably as Rick gives him a concerned once over. 

“You okay?” He says as he focuses on Daryl’s face. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Daryl counters quickly.

“Haven’t seen you since yesterday mornin’. We were getting worried, thought you’d gone out on a hunt or somethin’. But then I ran into Jesus and well…” He finishes, a sheepish look on his face as he rubs the back of his neck. “So, you okay?”

Daryl grunts loudly, pushing past Rick and making his way downstairs. He’s found his answer. He most definitely does not want to discuss this with Rick. 

Sadly, Rick isn’t that easily stopped as he follows the young Dixon down the stairs and into the kitchen. “What’s going on between you two? Jesus didn’t give me much to go on and I… Well, I didn’t know you guys were even on speaking terms but he said you were dealing with some things and needed a friend so….talk to me” Daryl can almost feel the compassion, the care, and concern wash over him as Rick sits down at the kitchen table, eyes pleading. 

So with a heavy sigh, Daryl sits down too. “How much d’you know?”

“Honestly? Not much. He said you guys were talking, bonding even, and then you just started pushing him away again. Said you needed to talk to someone about your, ‘fears’ I think was how he put it.” His eyes grow incredibly soft as he adds, “And I know you like a brother Daryl. Putting your actions and his concern together wasn’t really rocket science. So tell me, why are you pushing him away?”

At that, Daryl looks at Rick accusatory, “Thought you didn’t even like him”

“Don’t change the subject Dixon” Rick warns, no actual bite to his tone. With a deep sigh and sad eyes, he continues. “I get it, you know. Pushing him away before he can get too close. Before he can become a loved one”

Daryl looks up slowly at that but doesn’t say anything yet. “But you can’t push everyone away just because you don’t want them to get hurt, just because you don’t want to get hurt, don’t want to feel that pain of losing another person you love. A friend…or more.” At this, he gives Daryl an encouraging smile. “You’re one of the living Daryl. So live”

The words hit him hard. Not just because somewhere he knows they’re true, but because it’s Rick who’s saying them. Rick, who’s lost so many loved ones already yet still believes in love. Rick, who has become like a brother to him. Rick, who truly knows him better than he knows himself sometimes. So he just nods, as he processes what this all means. 

“I don’t want to push you to do anything. But I think you should go talk to him” Rick adds as he gets up from the table. He nods at Daryl as if to wish him luck, before leaving the kitchen. 

Daryl sits there for another moment or two, trying to decide whether or not he’s really ready to take this step, Rick’s ‘live’ stuck in his head. In the end, he decides to stand up to that little demon in his head, stand up to the pain and fears that have haunted him since childhood. For once, he’s going to be selfish and choose happiness. For once, he’s going to take that terrifying leap, not knowing where he’ll land.

So he gets up, gets out of the house…and then realizes that he has no idea where the young man is. He tries to remember if Rick mentioned a location but he just can’t, the heavy beat of his heart drowning out all other sound and thoughts. He could go back inside and ask Rick… But before his head has time to decide to turn around, his feet start making their way down the steps. He doesn’t know why but he just has a feeling that Jesus is with Maggie right now, working his magic on her new tomato plants or something.

As he crosses a street to get to the vegetable garden, he can already see he was right. Well, mostly right. Jesus is there, but instead of working on the tomatoes, he’s busy tying some things together in the corner. Daryl can’t exactly see what Jesus is working on, but he can see he has his sleeves rolled up, hair tied in a bun and wow! Okay, that is definitely a look Daryl hasn’t seen before but damn, does he like it. As a soft smile starts to creep its way up his face, the blonde man looks up. He seems unsure for a minute, searching Daryl’s face before showing of those perfect teeth in a wide smile. 

Throwing down the sticks and ropes, he meets Daryl halfway. “Hey” He breathes softly. 

“Hey” Daryl responds, eloquent as ever. They stand there for a minute, just staring at each other before Daryl speaks again. “M sorry”

A soft smile starts to creep up Jesus’s face as well as he nods. “I know”

Daryl’s smile widens at the look on the young man’s face, before he lets out a short snort. “So, Rick huh. Hadn’t expected ta”

Jesus breaks into a full on laugh, shaking his head as he looks at the hunter. “Well, desperate times call for desperate measures”

As Jesus continues to smile, Daryl turns serious again for a second. “Thank you…” He takes a deep breath. ”M sorry I missed dinner”

“Didn’t miss much, to be honest. Tonight’s dinner is going to be much better” Jesus says, a wicked glint in his eyes.

“Yeah?” Daryl says, sounding hopeful.

“Yeah, gonna make spaghetti complete with some type of instant sauce and powdered cheese” Jesus smiles cheekily, before stepping closer to Daryl. “Would be a shame if I had to eat it all by myself, don’t you think. Care to join me?”

And this is it, Jesus is giving him a second chance. If he’s being honest, he doesn’t even know if he deserves one. But as Rick’s voice drifts through his mind again, he can’t help but smile. “I’d love to”

“Good, see you tonight? I mean, I will be using your kitchen after all” Jesus smiles, stepping back slightly. 

“See you tonight” Daryl responds with a slight wink as he turns around, letting Jesus get back to work. It isn’t until he starts walking away that he notices Maggie, who’s sitting on her knees in front of her tomato plants. Judging from her smile she’s heard the whole thing. Sighing softly, Daryl starts walking home a little faster, a faint blush creeping up his neck. 

***

Daryl makes his way downstairs, noticing the slight loss of light as the sun has started sinking behind the walls of Alexandria. Stepping into the kitchen, he’s surprised to find someone else has already cleaned it. Judging from its spotlessness, he can make an educated guess as to who the cleaning fairy was. He stands there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Should he start looking for some food already? Should he get the pots and pans ready? Should he set the table? Would they need candles? He squishes that last question as soon as it pops up. He’s ready for a date, he’s even ready for a relationship. But he draws the line at sickeningly romantic gestures. 

Too caught up in his own thoughts, it isn’t until he hears Judith’s giggles that he turns around and notices he isn’t alone anymore. Setting Judith down, Rick walks over to the fridge to get her some juice. “Hey”, he says, smiling a bit too knowingly. He lets his eyes drift over Daryl’s clothes, his freshly washed hair and nods slightly. “I see you talked to Jesus”

Knowing there’s no use in hiding it, Daryl just nods. Feeling uncomfortable under Rick’s stare, he quickly focuses his attention on Judith. 

As he sits there, cooing at the little girl, letting her play with his wet hair, he feels Rick sit down next to him. “You guys made plans?”

At first, Daryl tries to ignore Rick but gives up quickly, knowing it’s no use. Rick’s not only his brother, but also a persistent little shit when he wants to be. 

Keeping his eyes on Judith, Daryl nods softly. “Yeah, he’s comin’ over fer dinner…tonight”

Although he doesn’t say any more, he knows Rick understands as he feels the man’s hand on his shoulder. “That explains the clean kitchen”, he jokes, before turning serious. “We’ll be out of your hair. Some of us have shifts, the others are planning on watching a movie next door. You’ll have the place to yourselves”. Getting up, taking the little girl with him, Rick looks down at Daryl with a soft smile. “This is a good thing Daryl, enjoy it”

Left alone again, Daryl stays in the kitchen a little bit longer, just staring out of the window, thinking about his life. He hadn’t expected they’d ever make it this far, not so many of them at least. And he certainly hadn’t expected them to end up in a place like Alexandria. But still, that had all seemed a lot more plausible than him having an actual, honest to god first date with Paul freaking Rovia. 

***

Judging from the clock on the oven, it’s close to 7 when Michonne and Rick leave the house. They were the last to leave, the only ones left inside being Daryl and a soundly sleeping Judith. The rest had already gathered in the house next door and were currently busy picking a movie, judging from the laughter that keeps coming in through the kitchen window. He thinks about closing the window for a second, to tune them out, but decides to leave it open. They’re his family and their happiness has a surprisingly calming effect on him and his nerves. 

As he feels a smile creep onto his face at the loud rumbling sound of Abraham’s laughter, he hears a soft knock on the front door. ‘This is it’, he tells himself, biting his thumb as he moves towards the front door. 

Opening the door, Daryl steps to the side immediately to let the young man in. “Hey” 

Stepping inside, Jesus comes to a halt in front of Daryl, who’s still holding onto the door for dear life. “Hey” 

It isn’t until Jesus lets out an honest to god giggle that Daryl closes the door, before putting a hand over his face. “God, we’re a chick flick nightmare”

Jesus just smiles, his tongue slowly darting out to wet his bottom lip before he slowly biting it. He’s already driving Daryl crazy and he knows it, judging from the mischievous glint in his eye. “Come on, you gotta work if you wanna eat” Jesus says then, softly punching Daryl’s shoulder as he walks past him. 

Following Jesus into the kitchen, Daryl immediately notices Jesus’s bag on the kitchen table. Sneaking a peek inside, he sees the cans and boxes that would make up their dinner. He also sees some fresh tomatoes, no doubt given to Jesus with another knowing smile by Maggie. 

“So, what d’ya need me ta do?” Daryl says after a moment, taking all the contents out of the bag. Jesus is bent down in front of an open cabinet, closely studying the pans. Seemingly finding the perfect one, he lets out a soft ‘ah’ as he puts it on the counter. 

Smiling brightly, Jesus walks over to him, standing a little closer than necessary as he inspects the items on the table. “Think you can handle a knife?” And god, that cheeky smile is going to be the death of him, he just knows it. Huffing half-heartedly, a twinkle in his eyes, Daryl sets off in search of a ridiculously large knife, just for the hell of it. 

***

It takes Jesus less than 2 minutes to know the kitchen inside out, finding spoons and spices with his eyes closed. After Daryl finishes cutting up the tomatoes, he starts opening the cans and packs, before handing them all to Jesus. He likes this more than he’d ever expected, enjoying the domesticity of the situation and the ease with which they work together. But he isn’t going to pretend to know much about cooking anything more difficult than eggs or pancakes. 

As Jesus puts the finishing touches on their dinner, Daryl grabs some plates and cutlery. He had wanted to set the table before Jesus arrived, but he just wasn’t sure where to put what. Not because of etiquette or anything, fuck where the knives and forks go, but because of the seating. Were they going to sit opposite each other? Next to each other? Sickeningly far apart? He still isn’t sure what Jesus would want so, deciding to let the young man choose, he sets the plates down on the counter next to the stove. 

Stepping closer to Jesus, who’s still stirring, he finds himself leaning into the man’s space. “Smells good”

Smiling, Jesus turns his head to look at Daryl. “Could say the same about you” He winks at Daryl before turning back to the pan. “Hope you’re hungry, I think it’s about done”

Both men fill their plate at the counter, Daryl taking extra-long to give Jesus a chance to choose a seat. Daryl’d sat down a couple of minutes ago, claiming a neutral seat in the middle of the table by leaving his glass there when he’d gotten up just now. Looking over, he smiles slightly as he sees Jesus sit down on the opposite side. 

As Daryl takes his seat, he feels his feet bump into Jesus’s, who playfully kicks back at him. Taking a big bite, Daryl notices that Jesus’s still watching him, eyes wide as he studies Daryl’s face. 

Swallowing, Daryl looks up at him. “What?” He wonders aloud. Shaking his head slightly, Jesus starts on his own plate. “S good” Daryl continues, earning him another smile. “Really good”

It isn’t long before Daryl’s plate’s empty again. Looking over at Jesus’s still half full plate, he silently wonders if he should have eaten more slowly, more sophisticated. Luckily, he doesn’t have to wonder for long, as Jesus grabs Daryl’s plate and gets up. Setting it down in front of Daryl again a minute later, a second portion of spaghetti on it, he smiles sweetly at the other man’s relieved and thankful expression. 

As Jesus sits back down, both men feel a shift in the air as if the remaining nervousness has finally left them. “Enough chitchat, wanna tell me a bit about yourself?”

“Not really” Daryl responds softly before sighing, knowing he wouldn’t be able to deny those eyes anything. “What’dya wanna know?”

Judging from the mischievous glint in Jesus’s eyes, Daryl suspects he’s going to regret that question. “What’s your favourite movie?”

Or not… He was definitely expecting something more personal and maybe even slightly awkward. With confusion clear on his face, Daryl shakes his head slightly. “What?”

A fond yet stern look crosses Jesus’s face, unconvinced by Daryl’s act. “You heard me, old man. Favourite movie, now”

A heavy silence fills the room before Daryl whispers. “Don’t have one” He knows it sounds weird, but it’s the truth. He grew up outside, in the woods and on the streets. Television was a luxury he didn’t really get to enjoy as a kid and therefore never missed in his adult life. 

Daryl’s unease at the innocent question throws Jesus off, but he quickly recovers. “Will have to do something about that” He says smiling, confidence back at full force as Daryl smiles back at him shyly. 

“Yeah?” And Daryl knows he sounds off, knows his voice betrays the actual question he’s asking. But he doesn’t care, not in this moment. This has been a good evening. Hell, it’s been a great evening so far but he just can’t keep that little monster in the back of his head quiet anymore. Insecurity’s creeping in and where he would normally just shut himself off from everything, he doesn’t want to anymore. This seems like the start of something to him, the start of something he really wants. So if it isn’t, well…he’d rather know right away. 

Jesus is silent for a moment, studying Daryl’s face with great care before bowing his head with a slight shake. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?” he breaths out softly, before getting up and walking over to Daryl. Standing next to the man, Jesus knows he has two options. Part of him really wants to sit on Daryl’s lap right now, try and shut his overthinking brain off by kissing him. But Daryl can be unpredictable, he’d proven that much. So Jesus goes with option two, which means crouching down beside the other man. When Daryl finally looks at him, Jesus slowly puts his hands on the other man’s face, pulling him close. 

Placing a soft kiss on Daryl’s lips, Jesus hopes it will bring the message across. Will wipe away the last of the man’s fears, will let him know that this is far from a one-time thing for him. He pulls away with another soft kiss, before getting up and clearing the table. As he sets the plates on the counter, he feels hands on his hips, turning him around. He barely has time to grin before chapped lips cover his. 

Leaning back against the counter, Jesus quickly melts into the kiss. The rough hands on his hips slowly start sliding onto his back as Daryl steps even closer, his own hands finding their way to Daryl’s upper arms. He grips them tightly as his tongue slowly licks along Daryl’s lower lip. And wow, the groan that leaves Daryl’s mouth at that might be the best sound he’s ever heard. 

 

Daryl’s the first to break the kiss, a bright blush on his cheeks as he leans his forehead against Jesus’s. “Could get used to this”, he whispers shyly, slightly out of breath. 

And it’s everything Jesus wanted to hear. Smiling brightly, he moves a hand up into Daryl’s hair as he breathes out a soft “You better” before claiming the other man’s mouth again.


End file.
